


what it takes

by pendules



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Developing Relationship, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Making Up, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-12-03 22:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11541699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pendules/pseuds/pendules
Summary: "So, you didn't answer my question," Seth says, after Kurt leaves them in the locker room. Dean's already turned his back to him, like he's done with this conversation, done withhim."What?" Dean says, turning his head to look at him, eyebrows furrowed."What's it going totake?" Seth grits out, slowly and evenly.





	what it takes

**Author's Note:**

> Whew. Last night was emotionally exhausting. And everything I've been wanting for a year. [What we actually got](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifPyhxApiZY) was probably better than any fanfic, but I just wanted to add a little something to [the locker room scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THjFtSxcLOk).

"So, you didn't answer my question," Seth says, after Kurt leaves them in the locker room. Dean's already turned his back to him, like he's done with this conversation, done with _him_.

"What?" Dean says, turning his head to look at him, eyebrows furrowed.

"What's it going to _take_?" Seth grits out, slowly and evenly.

Dean rolls his eyes. "I don't know, man, just spot me a cheeseburger and a shake at the next Denny's —"

"Can we just be serious, for once?" Seth says, as coolly as he can manage, although the frustration and the absolute fucking futility of all of _this_ is threatening to drive him a little bit crazy.

"What, out there wasn't _real_ enough for you?" Dean counters with a bitter smirk. 

Seth almost recoils just thinking about it. It was _too_ real, almost, both of them as exposed as they've ever been to each other, not to mention the thousands of people watching the whole damn train wreck unfold. Seeing his own pride fall and shatter to pieces as the apology practically tore out of him, almost leaving a real, gaping wound in his chest. Hearing the years' worth of hurt in Dean's voice when he confessed his heartbreak. Done at Seth's hands.

 _I don't know you_ , he'd said, and Seth had gone still and cold and empty inside. 

"I told you to do it, I _wanted_ you to do it —" Seth insists.

Dean shakes his head, amusement playing in his eyes and around his mouth. "Nah, you were just being a goddamn drama queen. Like always."

"You can't tell me you didn't want to," Seth replies cynically.

"Yeah, I _wanted_ to," Dean says bluntly. "You would've deserved that. And a million times worse."

"Why _didn't_ you, then?" Seth says quietly, shakily, unable to look at him.

"Because _I_ wouldn't have gotten any satisfaction out of that. It wouldn't have changed a damn thing." He almost looks sorry for him. He looks like he knows that Seth was practically _begging_ for it, just to _know_ , just to feel something raw and real from Dean. Just to know he still cared. Just to feel alive instead of guilty and worthless. To know he still had a chance, in some fucked-up way. But this isn't like how it was back in The Shield — of course it wouldn't be as easy as just taking a couple blows and going back to what they had. Not after everything he's done.

"What _do_ you want, then?" he asks, resigned.

"I don't know," Dean admits. "I don't know what it's gonna take. Or how long it's gonna take. I can't give you a nice, neat timeframe and a list of demands for us to be good again. I can't."

Seth nods. Maybe, just maybe, he can work with that.

"You gonna have my back next week?" he asks, looking him dead in the eye.

"I don't run out on my teammates," Dean says, like it's that simple. "What about _you_?"

"You don't have to trust what I say," Seth tells him earnestly. "But I have your back. I'm gonna prove that to you."

"Fine," Dean says. "Let's take those douchebags out once and for all."


End file.
